Armed Forces: Labour Turnover

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) people in the armed forces,  (b) new recruits to the armed forces and  (c) people who have left the armed forces in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: Information on the number of people in the armed forces, the number of new recruits to the armed forces and the number of people who have left the armed forces in each of the last five years can be found in "Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 1—UK Regular Forces Strengths and Changes".
	TSP 1 is published on monthly basis and the latest information as at 1 October 2008 can be found at:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/index. php?page=48&pubType=1&thiscontent=30&PublishTime= 09:30:00&date=20081127&disText=01%20Oct%202008 &from=listing&topDate=2008-11-27
	All copies of TSP 1 are available in the Library of the House and also at:
	www.dasa.mod.uk.

Defence Equipment: Expenditure

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of his Department's budget was spent on equipment in each year since 1997.

Quentin Davies: Since 2003 equipment expenditure data are published annually in Table 1.4 of the UK Defence Statistics by Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DAS A). Copies can be found in the National Statistics section of the DAS A website:
	www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/natstatsindex.html
	This shows that the proportion of the Ministry of Defence's budget spent on equipment over the past five financial years has been as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2003-04 29.3 
			 2004-05 28.1 
			 2005-06 27.6 
			 2006-07 28.7 
			 2007-08 28.3 
		
	
	Earlier information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.